Title: The New Guy
Author: S.Malfoy
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters; I only twist them for my evil pleasure.
This will eventually be a HP/DM slash, so if that bothers anyone, I'm sorry, but don't read if you don't like. You have been duly warned!
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Chapter 4
The Sorting Hat
"Come on, follow me," Draco instructed firmly, striding past Harry to direct him down the aisle to the correct train car. He could feel the quiver of Harry's shield as he passed him, still aroused from the spell cast against him earlier.
"Yes, master," Harry muttered, swallowing a smile at the dirty look Draco shot him.
They stopped outside of a car already filled with four people, and Draco threw open the door with a dramatic flourish.
"Yes, I know you all missed me terribly, but I am back and there's no need to worry," Draco crowed as he crossed the threshold.
A girl with pug-like features burst into giggles, clinging to the arm of one of the hulking figures in the car. She had tight curly blonde hair and a rather well proportioned body; she really was beautiful if one looked from the neck down. She stopped laughing abruptly when she caught sight of Harry standing quietly behind the blonde.
"Who is he?" she asked bluntly, pointing a stubby finger in Harry's direction.
"This, ladies and gents, is our newest addition - Harry Potter," Draco said, delighted with the disbelieving gasps he evicted with his statement.
"Harry, this is Pansy Parkinson," he said pointing towards the dumbfounded girl. "Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Blaise Zabini," he finished, pointing out the rest of the group. Crabbe and Goyle sat on either side of the girl like bodyguards, filling up the one side of the car, while Zabini sat alone with two empty spaces next to him.
The first two boys Draco pointed out Harry could already sense were there for their muscle tendencies and dumb loyalty, and not much else. When Harry met Zabini's eyes he was startled at the sheer jealousy reflected in his dark brown eyes. The sandy colored boy literally vibrated with his ill- feelings, and it instantly put Harry on the defensive.
"Hello," he greeted calmly, his eyes never leaving Zabini's.
"Hi," Pansy flirted, holding out a hand palm down. Looking away from the boy for a moment, he took a hold of her fingers and bowed shallowly over the extended hand, dropping a light kiss of greeting. She burst into sniggers of amusement and murmured her approval.
"And what is that adorable creature you have?" Pansy gurgled, pointing another finger at the ferret Harry still held in his free hand.
"Her name is Skylar – she is my familiar," Harry said proudly, caressing her soft white fur. Sensing she was being admired, she began wiggling in Harry's cupped hands for attention and Harry gave a small chuckle at the snort of disdain Draco gave. Crabbe and Goyle only looked on in silent confusion.
"Why did you bring him here, Draco?" Zabini interrupted resentfully, quelling Pansy's laughter.
"Because he is a great ally and we should show him the proper courtesy of a Slytherin," Draco said softly, his voice changing to steel and his eyes flinty. "If you have forgotten that, Zabini, then perhaps you should find another car."
Zabini's brown eyes filled with hurt. "Fine, Draco, I will. So much for house loyalty and friendship." He exited the car to total silence, and Draco motioned for Harry to take the seat Zabini had vacated, across from Pansy. Draco sat next to him by the window and gave him a grim smile.
"So I'm a great ally am I?" Harry whispered sarcastically.
"Well, what did you want me to tell him? That we met in a Knockturn Alley and I came along just as you were about to be beaten to a bloody pulp, then I saved you with my impressive knowledge of perfectly executed curses and hexes, and then we became fast friends while getting our robes altered?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow and an elaborate hand gesture at the end.
Harry shrugged and smirked. "The truth always sounds the least likely, I suppose." Knockturn Alley? he repeated silently in confusion, but didn't have time to ask the question.
"Of course it is, but it's not like anyone would ever refuse my friendship anyways, so it doesn't matter how we met" Draco said haughtily, smoothing back his already perfectly gelled hair.
Harry burst into soft laughter, and Skylar looked up at him in total adoration, licking his fingers delicately. Draco grimaced in distaste but said nothing when Harry tickled her soft underbelly, evicting gasping sounds Draco took as ferret laughter.
"I can't believe you carry that rodent around in your pockets," Draco said bitingly.
Harry glared at the boy before crooning softly to Skylar, "It's okay; Draco didn't mean it that way."
Skylar raised limpid eyes to the blonde boy, seeming to understand the insult he had given and her beady blue eyes filled with tears.
"Apologize to her," Harry ordered, shooting visual daggers at the boy next to him.
"I most certainly will not!" Draco replied, astonished.
"What exactly is she?" Pansy interrupted, effectively breaking the tension and staring in fascination at the squiggly animal.
Harry gave a small cough. "She's...well, she's a ferret," Harry said.
Pansy gave a loud cackle of amusement, giving Draco a sotto wink. "Well now, Draco here knows all about ferrets!"
"I've only heard a mention of the incident," Harry admitted, throwing a small glance at the flushed blonde.
"And there's nothing to tell about it, is there, Pansy dear?" Draco asked sweetly, his eyes promising a long and torturous death if she dared to open her mouth.
"Why, Draco, I didn't know you had a long term memory loss," Pansy replied just as pleasantly. "It happened in our fourth year when they held the TriWizard Tournament – have you ever heard of that Harry?" Pansy asked, ignoring Draco's wildly withdrawn wand.
Harry likewise ignored the motion, and shook his head thoughtfully. "I only heard a little about it. I know the first champion was from Hogwarts, and the year after it was a boy from Durmstrang," he supplied.
"Yes...a Hufflepuff," Draco said distastefully, his mouth twitching as if he had swallowed lemons.
Harry nodded as if in commiseration, but secretly snickered at the crestfallen look on Pansy and Draco's face.
"Go on," he encouraged.
"Well, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was an ex-Auror named Mad Eye Moody," Pansy explained, watching the wince Draco gave with satisfaction. "He was as loony as they come. Anyways, Draco here was giving the Golden Trio – the two Weasels and the Mudblood – the usual torture, when from out of nowhere the bloody madman comes up and turns Draco into a ferret!"
Crabbe and Goyle gave grunts and scowled, giving their opinion of the matter. Draco sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically, his hand coming up to smooth down an imagined ruffle in his hair.
"It was awful," Pansy said, smirking.
"I can imagine," Harry said, desperately trying to hold a straight face. Draco gave him a suspicious stare but nodded in agreement when he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Harry felt his stomach twist in a cramp from trying to withhold his amusement from the rest of the train car.
"Anyway, it's not a subject I like to think about, much less talk about," Draco said sharply, his gray eyes turbulent.
The rest of the group nodded accordingly, and the subject matter was dropped.
"So Harry, what are you supposed to do once we get to Hogwarts?" Pansy asked conversationally.
"I was written in my Hogwarts letter to meet in Dumbledore's office before the Sorting Feast began," Harry said, glancing out the window in interest, but his attention was caught by the sharp profile of the boy next to him. Draco turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow, and Harry could feel a flush stain his cheeks as he quickly glanced away.
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence between the two boys that the rest of the compartments occupants seemed unaware of. The hush was broken by the witch wheeling the cart full of candy, asking, "Would you like anything, dears?"
Crabbe and Goyle's large forms scrambled towards the towering promise of chocolate, scaring the poor woman out of her wits.
Harry, Draco, and Pansy burst into laughter, the tension disappeared, and a relaxed conversation ensued until they arrived at Hogwarts.
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"Wow," Harry breathed, watching the scone lights flicker in the windows of the Hogwarts castle from his seat in the horseless carriage. Looming turrets rose far into the sky, disappearing into the slowly descending darkness. Stained glass and candle light lent the castle an air of dignity and mysteriousness – to any Muggle it would have looked like a run-down castle, but to Harry it was the most beautiful sight in the world.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Draco murmured, watching the bright flicker of awe flash through Harry's liquid green eyes. He remembered what it had felt like to be a first year; the excitement, the anticipation, and the wonderment the sheer magnificence of the castle inspired.
Skylar poked her head out of the magically sewn pocket on his black school robes, squeaking in excitement at the sight of the castle. She immediately retracted her head, snuggling deep into the body warmth Harry provided, mumbling her happiness.
"I never expected it to look like this," Harry said softly, his eyes swallowing the visible feast before him.
"Where did you go to school before this, Harry?" Pansy asked, sticking her own head out of the carriage as they ambled along the path leading to the castle.
Draco and Harry met eyes briefly in amusement before Harry rolled his eyes.
"I've been to many places, but my last place of residences had been in Russia," he replied. "There they went for the maximum amount of warmth and usability rather than beauty."
Pansy shivered, wrapping her cloak more firmly around her as if shuddering at the imagined coldness. "What kind of places have you been to besides Russia?" she asked, remembering the first part of his sentence.
"Very many," he stressed. "But I learned the most in Turkey, where I stayed with the Prince three years ago. It was the longest I've ever stayed anywhere, and the royal family made me feel very welcome," Harry said modestly.
"Oh, how exciting it must be to travel the world," Pansy moaned in jealousy.
Harry shrugged, a low sigh slipping between his lips. Draco noticed the soft exclamation and immediately pounced. "What, what is it?"
Harry gave a weak smile before replying, "It was a wonderful experience, but sometimes all you want is a home."
Draco snorted derisively. "Believe me, having a home is not as cracked up as they say," he sneered. Pansy sent Draco a compassionate look, but said nothing.
Harry was silent after that.
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Harry was pointed the way to Dumbledore's office after he left his luggage in a pile along with the rest of the students. Since he had no idea what house he would be sorted into, he decided to leave it alone and figure it out later.
Climbing the maze of stairs, he took long looks around him, amazed at the sheer decadence of the interior of the castle. Paintings of all shapes, sizes, and subjects decorated the walls, and shields and armor littered along the hallway. Rugs and plants gave the hallways a feel of airy warmth, and Harry's eyes grew bright with amazement.
When he stepped up to a stone gargoyle he realized he had no way to get inside. He could image they were password coded but no one had mentioned that the Headmaster might not be there to greet him.
"Um...open says me?" he tried with an attempt at humor.
"YOU!" he heard hissed behind him. "What do you think you are doing here, loitering about outside of the Headmaster's office?" Professor Snape demanded.
Harry surveyed the Potions Master coolly, his green eyes never leaving the dark onyx of the teacher's. "I suppose I could ask you the same question," he hinted slyly. The black eyes went even impossibly darker, his rage swelling at the impudence of the boy.
"Come in Severus; hello Harry Potter," the Headmaster called out.
Snape gave him a gaping look, his mouth hanging open in surprise. Harry brushed past him docilely, pushing his bangs away from his face. His eyes behind his thin framed glasses took an appraising glance around the room, impressed with the ridiculous knick-knacks that were crammed in every corner of the room.
"Professor Dumbledore," Harry said with a polite nod, and was motioned to take a seat across from him.
"Harry, how wonderful to see you," Dumbledore said gently, his blue eyes swirling with a range of emotions. "Would you care for a lemon drop?"
"No, thank you sir," Harry said, settling down in the comfortable chair. He glanced up at the sinister shadow hovering beside him, raising his dark eyebrows in question at the silenced man.
"Ah, Professor Snape, I'd like to talk to you after I'm finished with Harry," Dumbledore said congenially, and with a swirl of his robes, Snape took a seat beside Harry.
"So, Harry Potter has finally come to Hogwarts," Severus sneered. "I wondered when that imbecile of a Godfather would finally stop running away."
"I would appreciate it if you did not insult Sirius in front of me, Professor, as I find it has a rather maddening effect," Harry said calmly, missing the look of surprise reflected in Snape's eyes. "I hold a certain fondness for my guardian," he explained.
Dumbledore chuckled in amusement at the gob-smacked expression the Potions professor wore. "Yes, quite so, Harry. So, I'm sure you'd like to know what House you would be sorted into." Dumbledore said rhetorically.
"Yes, of course, sir," Harry said, watching curiously as Dumbledore stood and gathered an old, ragged hat and placed it atop his own head. It slid down, covering his eyes from the other two men, and a little noise buzzed in his ear.
"Ah, Harry Potter, what a surprise this is," a squeaky voice said.
"Er...how do you do?" he asked aloud and heard a snort of laughter to his left.
"Just fine, my boy, just fine. So, lets see, what would you be suited for..." the hat said, trailing off as it mulled over the future of this boy.
Harry imaged the face of the red headed boy and inadvertently grimaced in disgust. The sorting hat didn't miss the dislike Harry felt for the boy.
"Ah, don't like the Gryffindor much, do you? You would do well in that house, you know."
Hm, well I just don't really see myself getting along too well with such people, Harry thought with aversion.
"You are a natural born leader, a type of person that the Gryffindor house has been lacking recently," the hat commented.
I can see why they've been lacking – who would want to be in a house full of Weasley's, he thought with dark amusement. I would prefer company like Draco.
"They are not all like the Weasley boy. But with such power you wield, the Slytherins would naturally flock to you – you would do well there, as well," the hat admitted. "You have the personality of both a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, a like of such that I have never seen before ever in my life. I also notice you have a talent that all Slytherin's would enjoy to boast," the hat said mysteriously.
If you'd like my opinion, I would enjoy the Slytherin house much more. I can only imagine the look on Sirius' face if he found out, Harry chuckled softly. And what do you mean 'talent'?
"I don't know; it would be much easier on you in life if you were known as a Gryffindor instead of a Slytherin. There is much bias against that house," the hat murmured thoughtfully, ignoring his last question.
Then here is my chance to show that good people are in that house as well, Harry pressed. What did you mean by talent?
"Very well, if that is your wish, then I cannot overlook your choice. SLYTHERIN!" the hat cried.
When Harry removed the hat, he was met by a wall of dead silence.
"Well, that is a tremendous surprise," Dumbledore finally admitted slowly.
Snape, for the second time in his long and eventful life, was speechless. He simply could not form a coherent sentence – when he heard the shouted 'Slytherin' his brain had shut down.
"Well...it's not so bad, I've already met some nice people," Harry said, trying to cover up the silence he choice had evoked. He could see the worry Dumbledore tried to hide, and was vaguely intrigued.
"Your Head of House is Professor Snape," Dumbledore said slowly, still trying to recover. "Your quarters will be in the dungeons dormitories and another bed will be placed inside the boy's room. You will be shown there after the Sorting Feast tonight," Dumbledore said, finally rational.
"Yes, sir," Harry said, nodding in comprehension.
"Your things will also be placed into the room by the house elves, so do not worry, they will be there once the Feast is over," the Headmaster also included.
"Thank you, sir," Harry replied. His eye was caught by a brilliant red bird sitting beside Dumbledore's desk. He met the golden eyes curiously, watching it preen its feathers with muster. "That's a beautiful bird," he said softly.
"It is a phoenix," Dumbledore supplied. "Fawkes has been a wonderful companion over the years to me, practically invaluable."
Skylar took that opportunity to poke her head out of Harry's newly altered robe pocket, and caught sight of the phoenix. With a startled 'eep' it dove down into its hiding place, shivering madly with fear.
Harry burst into laughter, drawing a smile to the Headmaster's face at the winsome sound. Harry dug into the pocket, withdrawing the frightened ferret with a chuckle. "Sky, you are not very courageous at all – I'd hate to see what you would do if you were under attack," he grinned.
She gave him a blue eyed glare and the cold shoulder. He cupped his hands together and raised her up, giving her a small kiss on top of her furred head. "Don't be mad, Sky. You know I'm teasing."
She looked indecisive for a moment before giving in and licking his cheek with her tiny sandpaper tongue. He looked up, catching a glance between the two older men, and a cold look abruptly descended upon his face.
"If you're going to say something, you might as well tell me," Harry said.
"You know, the Hogwarts letter said nothing about bringing a ferret to the school," Snape replied silkily before Dumbledore had a chance to respond.
Harry scowled darkly before his face became impassive. "I will not get rid of her, if that is what you are implying. I would as soon leave as to stay without her."
Dumbledore gave Severus a warning look before smiling gently at Harry. "We wouldn't ask that Harry. We can see how attached to her you already are. Why don't you go to the Great Hall now?"
Harry nodded curtly and made his way to the exit. He was stopped by Dumbledore's kind voice, "Welcome to Hogwarts Harry."
"Thank you Professor," was Harry's reply before he left, cradling his pet gently in his arms.
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"Well, that certainly did not go as you had planned, I expect," Snape said, smirking delightfully.
"Yes, I was a little surprised. But, it was not a total shock," Dumbledore admitted with a gamine grin.
"What do you mean old man?" Snape demanded suspiciously.
"Nothing to be concerned about, Severus," Dumbledore soothed. "So, what is Voldemort up too lately?"
Snape winced at the mention of the name, but did not mention it. "He is slowly gathering his forces, Albus. The Ministry is much amiss by blowing off the Dark Lord's return, and too many people are lulled into thinking he has been defeated. He has already begun infiltrating the Ministry and has spies he will not reveal to the rest of us," he grumbled, irritated beyond reason.
"Calm yourself, Severus. I will call a meeting with the Order soon, and I think Harry's return shall be a turning point for the side of Light," Albus said with a gleam in his bright blue eyes.
"So, how do you think he will fare inside your nest of snakes?" Albus asked, changing the subject rapidly, seeing the dark cloud forming between Snape's dark brows. It distracted the man for a moment, as Dumbledore had hoped.
"I must say, I was extremely surprised at the Sorting Hat's decision. I can only imagine the look on Black's face when he finds out," Snape said in words that were almost an exact replica of Harry's, grinning maliciously and rubbing his hands together. "And his parents would be turning in their grave," he added for good measure.
"I'm sure they would accept his decision," Albus replied neutrally.
"Ha! They would be horrified," Snape returned, his eyes glinting with a strange light.
"I expect you to treat him with the same respect the other Slytherin's deserve," Albus admonished lightly.
Snape took on an innocently affronted look. "Of course Headmaster, what would you take me for? Black?"
"Of course not. Well, that shall be all; we both need to attend the Sorting Feast tonight. We shall talk more later."
On their own accord, they stood; Snape allowed the Headmaster to walk before him, keeping to the shadows as they descended to the Great Hall.
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It took Harry a few moments to find his way about the castle but he eventually managed to find the large doors with the line of first years waiting outside. He crept past the tight-lipped teacher standing guard and quietly made his entrance. But what that really meant was that he attracted every person's attention and starting a rolling thunder of whispering gossip.
I have survived through all of this before, he reassured himself. Sirius promised this will be the last time. Harry threw his broad shoulders back proudly, and made eye contact with Draco. He could see the blonde had his mask carefully in place, but when their eyes collided he could see the question swirling inside of them. Harry gave the boy a slow smile and made his way over to the Slytherin table.
The entire Gryffindor table burst into boo's and catcalls which he ignored with good humor. The Slytherin table was dumbfounded but eventually stood up and gave a huge round of applause as Harry Potter – the Harry Potter – sat down next to the Ice Prince. Under normal circumstances, even the name of Harry Potter would be followed by hisses and death threats but this was a new situation – Harry Potter was one of them, and if Draco Malfoy accepted Potter, then every Slytherin would follow suit.
"Congratulations," Pansy said shyly. "We didn't know if you were going to be placed in Slytherin or not."
"Why ever would I not?" Harry laughed. "The Gryffindors are a bunch of prigs," he said with a mischievous smile.
Draco burst into enthusiastic laughter, and for the first time he initiated contact between them by swinging a friendly arm around his shoulders. "You're going to get along great with us."
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The Gryffindor's sixth years were huddled together in a cluster, whispering madly at the decision the hat had made.
"I wonder if the Sorting Hat is losing its touch," Seamus said sadly, shaking his head in confusion.
"Why else would it put Harry Potter into Slytherin?" Ginny asked reasonably, agreeing with Seamus' statement.
"I don't think it made a mistake," Ron interrupted. "I think we may just have another You-Know-Who on our hands," he stated ominously.
The entire group shivered uncontrollably, unconsciously glancing towards the Slytherin table. They all watched as Draco smiled pleasantly, the conversation smooth as the table's occupants welcomed Harry to their midst and patted the white ferret on the table beside him.
"That's preposterous," Hermione said. "You-Know-Who killed Potter's parents, he wouldn't join him," she stressed.
"Maybe You-Know-Who killed his parents to get Potter, but his plans were foiled," Dean jumped in.
"But he tried to kill Harry Potter, he didn't try to adopt him," Hermione scoffed, ignoring the affronted looks.
"Dean's got a point," Ron said. "Maybe he had to try to kill Potter because he realized he couldn't kidnap him. And it just goes to show why he wanted to turn Potter to the dark," he whispered. The others crowded around him, straining to hear the answer. "He knew Potter could kill him if he didn't try to turn him to the dark."
"Which proves that Harry Potter is not a dark wizard," Hermione pointed out. "If You-Know-Who was afraid of him, then we shouldn't be."
"It means he's more powerful than You-Know-Who! Did you see how he repelled those spells that I threw?" Ron hissed. "He didn't even have his wand out and he did it twice."
"Maybe he learned it from somewhere else," Neville argued weakly, speaking for the first time since they had begun the discussion.
"Well, it's all the more reason to be afraid of him! He's in Slytherin and he almost killed the current Dark Lord when he was just a baby," Ginny cried. "Maybe Potter wants to take his place and has learned new dark spells that make him invincible."
They all cringed, again looking over to the Slytherin table. Malfoy was grimacing, refusing to look at the animal Harry had brought with him. The rest of the table had burst into boisterous laughter, enjoying the sight of the Ice Prince unnerved.
"I don't know, he doesn't look that bad to me," Neville said slowly.
"Well, I certainly will not trust the scum," Ron said vindictively.
"You're just mad that he threatened you," Ginny said wisely.
Ron scoffed, and was about to make a venomous reply when Dumbledore suddenly appeared at the Head table. Everyone immediately quieted down to listen to the man speak.
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Dumbledore could see the outrage on the faces of all the houses except Slytherin at the new development with Harry Potter. The Slytherin's all looked as if the cat had suddenly caught the canary and held it whimpering in its grasp.
He raised his hands for the silence he had already been given, his gestures slightly placating. "Welcome to Hogwarts; I hope that this year proves to be as enjoyable as all the others!" he started, and the applause was almost deafening.
"As most of you have seen, we have a new student this year," Albus said, looking briefly over to the Slytherin table and smiling at the faint blush that grew on Harry's cheeks. But Harry held himself proudly, and nodded curtly to the Headmaster. "Harry Potter has been sorted into Slytherin house, so let's give him a warm welcome."
Immediately loud heckling filled the air, but Harry only nodded slightly as if he had already expected such a reaction. Harry stood and gave a brief bow, thanking whatever deity the Headmaster employed that there was no food to be thrown in his direction.
"Hey, don't worry about it Harry," Draco whispered as he sat back down.
"I'm not. I'm very proud of the House I've been sorted into," he said softly back, giving Draco a warm smile.
Draco only nodded, but Harry could see the pleasure that made his gray eyes glow.
"Let us start the Sorting and then we can get down to the Feast," Albus said, and immediately the door opened to admit the first years.
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By the last call of "Zyber, Anna" who was sorted into Ravenclaw, the Sorting was finally finished. Gryffindor had gotten eighteen new students, Ravenclaw fifteen, Hufflepuff ten, and Slytherin ten. Harry noted with shuttered eyes that the boy from the robe shop, Tomas Finis, had been sorted into Slytherin and was sending darting glances between him and Draco. It was with a snort that he realized the girl the two boys had teased had also been placed into the snake den.
Draco had begun to doze with his eyes open when Harry prodded him awake. Draco blinked rapidly to re-moisturize his eyes, and glanced around. Dumbledore was making his usual warning statements about the Forbidden Forest and Filch so he glanced over at his new dorm mate. Harry watched the Headmaster with cool detachment, his fingers tapping a soothing rhythm on the table as he waited patiently for the food to appear.
Harry glanced over to him with a small smile. "I'm starving, how about you?" he whispered.
"Famished," Draco replied.
Harry looked away again, searching the Great Hall with indifference, giving Draco a moment to study his features in silence. He really had an unorthodox attractiveness, with his hair mussed and his glasses sliding down his nose, hiding his grass green eyes. His build was bulky for someone of his age, and Draco wondered idly if he had been forced to do manual labor. He was about the same height as Draco, which made him rather short, but he looked as strong as a bull and just as deadly. But his eyes were calm and cool and it felt as if he could see right through a person, to their very core...it unsettled Draco greatly. Harry's looks are greatly deceiving, Draco decided resolutely.
But it was his power that fascinated Draco the most. Harry's power was most noticeable when it radiated off of him in waves when he was agitated or irritated, as he had been this afternoon. Draco took a deep breath and could smell the same whiff of vanilla he had at the robe shop when they had first met.
With a flourished clap of Dumbledore's hands the food appeared magically in front of the table, and Harry immediately began to dig in, making polite conversation with those housemates around him. Draco winced when he saw Harry feed a slice of chicken to his ferret, talking to her as if he expected her to answer him back or understand. He really should not show such a tenderness of the pet in front of the others, he thought briefly.
Harry looked back over towards Draco, unnerved to find the boy staring. "What, do I have something on my face?" he asked, reaching instinctively upwards to brush away some offending piece of dirt.
Draco shook his head quickly, glancing away with a mumbled negative. He missed the contemplative glance Harry sent him, but he said nothing.
Blaise Zabini was notably absent, Draco suddenly discerned. He knew the boy was insanely jealous of most of his friends, though Draco could never figure out the complex the boy had. He had not shown his Slytherin side at all when he dismissed Harry so casually in front of Draco. As if I would give up the chance of a lifetime for some twisted imagining of house loyalty, Draco thought derisively.
Draco trailed his attention elsewhere and found it attracted to the Head Table. Dumbledore really is worried, Draco thought as he caught the slight glint of unease in the Headmaster's eyes as he watched Harry. Ha, serves the bloody bastard right for how he's treated the Slytherin's over the years, he chuckled silently.
He glanced at his own Head of House and noted that Snape also watched Potter with a gleam of triumph in his onyx eyes and a real sneer placed firmly on his face. He must really dislike Harry for some reason...
"Aren't you hungry Draco?" Pansy simpered from across the table, ruining his train of thought.
"Of course, Pansy dear. But I was so blinded by your beauty I could not help but stare, and I would surely waste away if I continued," Draco said blithely as he began scooping some food onto his plate.
"Aww," Pansy sighed. "You are so sweet sometimes."
He could hear a muffled gagging sound next to him, but did not dare look at Harry for fear of ruining his excuse with laughter. He put on a great face of disappointment and sadness, but began eating with ferocity, trying to force thoughts of Harry from his mind.
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A/N: Well I hope most of everyone is happy with the house Harry was sorted into...well...because I was already wanted to put him there anyway, it just made it even better that a lot of you agreed with me. Thanks for all those that reviewed and gave a poll, it helped me make my choice! It was an almost unanimous vote for Slytherin, and there you go.
Gertrude Abbernathy: Yes, actually I was very tempted to put him into Ravenclaw as well as Slytherin/Gryffindor, as Ravenclaw would make him very neutral with everyone else. And yes, he is very serious about learning all that he can. But, unfortunately, I don't know much about Ravenclaw, and I like the idea of Harry in Slytherin. Thank you for the wonderful review! It seems we were both thinking along the same lines!
Grayoutpost: Yes, Harry will be using a lot of his knowledge throughout the story. I almost did put him in Gryffindor for the tension and various plot lines, but alas, I had to stick him in Slytherin for the fun and excitement. I doubt Draco would ever consider dating outside of Slytherin as portrayed by JKR anyways.
TBC...
Author: S.Malfoy
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters; I only twist them for my evil pleasure.
This will eventually be a HP/DM slash, so if that bothers anyone, I'm sorry, but don't read if you don't like. You have been duly warned!
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Chapter 4
The Sorting Hat
"Come on, follow me," Draco instructed firmly, striding past Harry to direct him down the aisle to the correct train car. He could feel the quiver of Harry's shield as he passed him, still aroused from the spell cast against him earlier.
"Yes, master," Harry muttered, swallowing a smile at the dirty look Draco shot him.
They stopped outside of a car already filled with four people, and Draco threw open the door with a dramatic flourish.
"Yes, I know you all missed me terribly, but I am back and there's no need to worry," Draco crowed as he crossed the threshold.
A girl with pug-like features burst into giggles, clinging to the arm of one of the hulking figures in the car. She had tight curly blonde hair and a rather well proportioned body; she really was beautiful if one looked from the neck down. She stopped laughing abruptly when she caught sight of Harry standing quietly behind the blonde.
"Who is he?" she asked bluntly, pointing a stubby finger in Harry's direction.
"This, ladies and gents, is our newest addition - Harry Potter," Draco said, delighted with the disbelieving gasps he evicted with his statement.
"Harry, this is Pansy Parkinson," he said pointing towards the dumbfounded girl. "Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Blaise Zabini," he finished, pointing out the rest of the group. Crabbe and Goyle sat on either side of the girl like bodyguards, filling up the one side of the car, while Zabini sat alone with two empty spaces next to him.
The first two boys Draco pointed out Harry could already sense were there for their muscle tendencies and dumb loyalty, and not much else. When Harry met Zabini's eyes he was startled at the sheer jealousy reflected in his dark brown eyes. The sandy colored boy literally vibrated with his ill- feelings, and it instantly put Harry on the defensive.
"Hello," he greeted calmly, his eyes never leaving Zabini's.
"Hi," Pansy flirted, holding out a hand palm down. Looking away from the boy for a moment, he took a hold of her fingers and bowed shallowly over the extended hand, dropping a light kiss of greeting. She burst into sniggers of amusement and murmured her approval.
"And what is that adorable creature you have?" Pansy gurgled, pointing another finger at the ferret Harry still held in his free hand.
"Her name is Skylar – she is my familiar," Harry said proudly, caressing her soft white fur. Sensing she was being admired, she began wiggling in Harry's cupped hands for attention and Harry gave a small chuckle at the snort of disdain Draco gave. Crabbe and Goyle only looked on in silent confusion.
"Why did you bring him here, Draco?" Zabini interrupted resentfully, quelling Pansy's laughter.
"Because he is a great ally and we should show him the proper courtesy of a Slytherin," Draco said softly, his voice changing to steel and his eyes flinty. "If you have forgotten that, Zabini, then perhaps you should find another car."
Zabini's brown eyes filled with hurt. "Fine, Draco, I will. So much for house loyalty and friendship." He exited the car to total silence, and Draco motioned for Harry to take the seat Zabini had vacated, across from Pansy. Draco sat next to him by the window and gave him a grim smile.
"So I'm a great ally am I?" Harry whispered sarcastically.
"Well, what did you want me to tell him? That we met in a Knockturn Alley and I came along just as you were about to be beaten to a bloody pulp, then I saved you with my impressive knowledge of perfectly executed curses and hexes, and then we became fast friends while getting our robes altered?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow and an elaborate hand gesture at the end.
Harry shrugged and smirked. "The truth always sounds the least likely, I suppose." Knockturn Alley? he repeated silently in confusion, but didn't have time to ask the question.
"Of course it is, but it's not like anyone would ever refuse my friendship anyways, so it doesn't matter how we met" Draco said haughtily, smoothing back his already perfectly gelled hair.
Harry burst into soft laughter, and Skylar looked up at him in total adoration, licking his fingers delicately. Draco grimaced in distaste but said nothing when Harry tickled her soft underbelly, evicting gasping sounds Draco took as ferret laughter.
"I can't believe you carry that rodent around in your pockets," Draco said bitingly.
Harry glared at the boy before crooning softly to Skylar, "It's okay; Draco didn't mean it that way."
Skylar raised limpid eyes to the blonde boy, seeming to understand the insult he had given and her beady blue eyes filled with tears.
"Apologize to her," Harry ordered, shooting visual daggers at the boy next to him.
"I most certainly will not!" Draco replied, astonished.
"What exactly is she?" Pansy interrupted, effectively breaking the tension and staring in fascination at the squiggly animal.
Harry gave a small cough. "She's...well, she's a ferret," Harry said.
Pansy gave a loud cackle of amusement, giving Draco a sotto wink. "Well now, Draco here knows all about ferrets!"
"I've only heard a mention of the incident," Harry admitted, throwing a small glance at the flushed blonde.
"And there's nothing to tell about it, is there, Pansy dear?" Draco asked sweetly, his eyes promising a long and torturous death if she dared to open her mouth.
"Why, Draco, I didn't know you had a long term memory loss," Pansy replied just as pleasantly. "It happened in our fourth year when they held the TriWizard Tournament – have you ever heard of that Harry?" Pansy asked, ignoring Draco's wildly withdrawn wand.
Harry likewise ignored the motion, and shook his head thoughtfully. "I only heard a little about it. I know the first champion was from Hogwarts, and the year after it was a boy from Durmstrang," he supplied.
"Yes...a Hufflepuff," Draco said distastefully, his mouth twitching as if he had swallowed lemons.
Harry nodded as if in commiseration, but secretly snickered at the crestfallen look on Pansy and Draco's face.
"Go on," he encouraged.
"Well, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was an ex-Auror named Mad Eye Moody," Pansy explained, watching the wince Draco gave with satisfaction. "He was as loony as they come. Anyways, Draco here was giving the Golden Trio – the two Weasels and the Mudblood – the usual torture, when from out of nowhere the bloody madman comes up and turns Draco into a ferret!"
Crabbe and Goyle gave grunts and scowled, giving their opinion of the matter. Draco sighed and rolled his eyes dramatically, his hand coming up to smooth down an imagined ruffle in his hair.
"It was awful," Pansy said, smirking.
"I can imagine," Harry said, desperately trying to hold a straight face. Draco gave him a suspicious stare but nodded in agreement when he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Harry felt his stomach twist in a cramp from trying to withhold his amusement from the rest of the train car.
"Anyway, it's not a subject I like to think about, much less talk about," Draco said sharply, his gray eyes turbulent.
The rest of the group nodded accordingly, and the subject matter was dropped.
"So Harry, what are you supposed to do once we get to Hogwarts?" Pansy asked conversationally.
"I was written in my Hogwarts letter to meet in Dumbledore's office before the Sorting Feast began," Harry said, glancing out the window in interest, but his attention was caught by the sharp profile of the boy next to him. Draco turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow, and Harry could feel a flush stain his cheeks as he quickly glanced away.
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence between the two boys that the rest of the compartments occupants seemed unaware of. The hush was broken by the witch wheeling the cart full of candy, asking, "Would you like anything, dears?"
Crabbe and Goyle's large forms scrambled towards the towering promise of chocolate, scaring the poor woman out of her wits.
Harry, Draco, and Pansy burst into laughter, the tension disappeared, and a relaxed conversation ensued until they arrived at Hogwarts.
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"Wow," Harry breathed, watching the scone lights flicker in the windows of the Hogwarts castle from his seat in the horseless carriage. Looming turrets rose far into the sky, disappearing into the slowly descending darkness. Stained glass and candle light lent the castle an air of dignity and mysteriousness – to any Muggle it would have looked like a run-down castle, but to Harry it was the most beautiful sight in the world.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Draco murmured, watching the bright flicker of awe flash through Harry's liquid green eyes. He remembered what it had felt like to be a first year; the excitement, the anticipation, and the wonderment the sheer magnificence of the castle inspired.
Skylar poked her head out of the magically sewn pocket on his black school robes, squeaking in excitement at the sight of the castle. She immediately retracted her head, snuggling deep into the body warmth Harry provided, mumbling her happiness.
"I never expected it to look like this," Harry said softly, his eyes swallowing the visible feast before him.
"Where did you go to school before this, Harry?" Pansy asked, sticking her own head out of the carriage as they ambled along the path leading to the castle.
Draco and Harry met eyes briefly in amusement before Harry rolled his eyes.
"I've been to many places, but my last place of residences had been in Russia," he replied. "There they went for the maximum amount of warmth and usability rather than beauty."
Pansy shivered, wrapping her cloak more firmly around her as if shuddering at the imagined coldness. "What kind of places have you been to besides Russia?" she asked, remembering the first part of his sentence.
"Very many," he stressed. "But I learned the most in Turkey, where I stayed with the Prince three years ago. It was the longest I've ever stayed anywhere, and the royal family made me feel very welcome," Harry said modestly.
"Oh, how exciting it must be to travel the world," Pansy moaned in jealousy.
Harry shrugged, a low sigh slipping between his lips. Draco noticed the soft exclamation and immediately pounced. "What, what is it?"
Harry gave a weak smile before replying, "It was a wonderful experience, but sometimes all you want is a home."
Draco snorted derisively. "Believe me, having a home is not as cracked up as they say," he sneered. Pansy sent Draco a compassionate look, but said nothing.
Harry was silent after that.
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Harry was pointed the way to Dumbledore's office after he left his luggage in a pile along with the rest of the students. Since he had no idea what house he would be sorted into, he decided to leave it alone and figure it out later.
Climbing the maze of stairs, he took long looks around him, amazed at the sheer decadence of the interior of the castle. Paintings of all shapes, sizes, and subjects decorated the walls, and shields and armor littered along the hallway. Rugs and plants gave the hallways a feel of airy warmth, and Harry's eyes grew bright with amazement.
When he stepped up to a stone gargoyle he realized he had no way to get inside. He could image they were password coded but no one had mentioned that the Headmaster might not be there to greet him.
"Um...open says me?" he tried with an attempt at humor.
"YOU!" he heard hissed behind him. "What do you think you are doing here, loitering about outside of the Headmaster's office?" Professor Snape demanded.
Harry surveyed the Potions Master coolly, his green eyes never leaving the dark onyx of the teacher's. "I suppose I could ask you the same question," he hinted slyly. The black eyes went even impossibly darker, his rage swelling at the impudence of the boy.
"Come in Severus; hello Harry Potter," the Headmaster called out.
Snape gave him a gaping look, his mouth hanging open in surprise. Harry brushed past him docilely, pushing his bangs away from his face. His eyes behind his thin framed glasses took an appraising glance around the room, impressed with the ridiculous knick-knacks that were crammed in every corner of the room.
"Professor Dumbledore," Harry said with a polite nod, and was motioned to take a seat across from him.
"Harry, how wonderful to see you," Dumbledore said gently, his blue eyes swirling with a range of emotions. "Would you care for a lemon drop?"
"No, thank you sir," Harry said, settling down in the comfortable chair. He glanced up at the sinister shadow hovering beside him, raising his dark eyebrows in question at the silenced man.
"Ah, Professor Snape, I'd like to talk to you after I'm finished with Harry," Dumbledore said congenially, and with a swirl of his robes, Snape took a seat beside Harry.
"So, Harry Potter has finally come to Hogwarts," Severus sneered. "I wondered when that imbecile of a Godfather would finally stop running away."
"I would appreciate it if you did not insult Sirius in front of me, Professor, as I find it has a rather maddening effect," Harry said calmly, missing the look of surprise reflected in Snape's eyes. "I hold a certain fondness for my guardian," he explained.
Dumbledore chuckled in amusement at the gob-smacked expression the Potions professor wore. "Yes, quite so, Harry. So, I'm sure you'd like to know what House you would be sorted into." Dumbledore said rhetorically.
"Yes, of course, sir," Harry said, watching curiously as Dumbledore stood and gathered an old, ragged hat and placed it atop his own head. It slid down, covering his eyes from the other two men, and a little noise buzzed in his ear.
"Ah, Harry Potter, what a surprise this is," a squeaky voice said.
"Er...how do you do?" he asked aloud and heard a snort of laughter to his left.
"Just fine, my boy, just fine. So, lets see, what would you be suited for..." the hat said, trailing off as it mulled over the future of this boy.
Harry imaged the face of the red headed boy and inadvertently grimaced in disgust. The sorting hat didn't miss the dislike Harry felt for the boy.
"Ah, don't like the Gryffindor much, do you? You would do well in that house, you know."
Hm, well I just don't really see myself getting along too well with such people, Harry thought with aversion.
"You are a natural born leader, a type of person that the Gryffindor house has been lacking recently," the hat commented.
I can see why they've been lacking – who would want to be in a house full of Weasley's, he thought with dark amusement. I would prefer company like Draco.
"They are not all like the Weasley boy. But with such power you wield, the Slytherins would naturally flock to you – you would do well there, as well," the hat admitted. "You have the personality of both a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, a like of such that I have never seen before ever in my life. I also notice you have a talent that all Slytherin's would enjoy to boast," the hat said mysteriously.
If you'd like my opinion, I would enjoy the Slytherin house much more. I can only imagine the look on Sirius' face if he found out, Harry chuckled softly. And what do you mean 'talent'?
"I don't know; it would be much easier on you in life if you were known as a Gryffindor instead of a Slytherin. There is much bias against that house," the hat murmured thoughtfully, ignoring his last question.
Then here is my chance to show that good people are in that house as well, Harry pressed. What did you mean by talent?
"Very well, if that is your wish, then I cannot overlook your choice. SLYTHERIN!" the hat cried.
When Harry removed the hat, he was met by a wall of dead silence.
"Well, that is a tremendous surprise," Dumbledore finally admitted slowly.
Snape, for the second time in his long and eventful life, was speechless. He simply could not form a coherent sentence – when he heard the shouted 'Slytherin' his brain had shut down.
"Well...it's not so bad, I've already met some nice people," Harry said, trying to cover up the silence he choice had evoked. He could see the worry Dumbledore tried to hide, and was vaguely intrigued.
"Your Head of House is Professor Snape," Dumbledore said slowly, still trying to recover. "Your quarters will be in the dungeons dormitories and another bed will be placed inside the boy's room. You will be shown there after the Sorting Feast tonight," Dumbledore said, finally rational.
"Yes, sir," Harry said, nodding in comprehension.
"Your things will also be placed into the room by the house elves, so do not worry, they will be there once the Feast is over," the Headmaster also included.
"Thank you, sir," Harry replied. His eye was caught by a brilliant red bird sitting beside Dumbledore's desk. He met the golden eyes curiously, watching it preen its feathers with muster. "That's a beautiful bird," he said softly.
"It is a phoenix," Dumbledore supplied. "Fawkes has been a wonderful companion over the years to me, practically invaluable."
Skylar took that opportunity to poke her head out of Harry's newly altered robe pocket, and caught sight of the phoenix. With a startled 'eep' it dove down into its hiding place, shivering madly with fear.
Harry burst into laughter, drawing a smile to the Headmaster's face at the winsome sound. Harry dug into the pocket, withdrawing the frightened ferret with a chuckle. "Sky, you are not very courageous at all – I'd hate to see what you would do if you were under attack," he grinned.
She gave him a blue eyed glare and the cold shoulder. He cupped his hands together and raised her up, giving her a small kiss on top of her furred head. "Don't be mad, Sky. You know I'm teasing."
She looked indecisive for a moment before giving in and licking his cheek with her tiny sandpaper tongue. He looked up, catching a glance between the two older men, and a cold look abruptly descended upon his face.
"If you're going to say something, you might as well tell me," Harry said.
"You know, the Hogwarts letter said nothing about bringing a ferret to the school," Snape replied silkily before Dumbledore had a chance to respond.
Harry scowled darkly before his face became impassive. "I will not get rid of her, if that is what you are implying. I would as soon leave as to stay without her."
Dumbledore gave Severus a warning look before smiling gently at Harry. "We wouldn't ask that Harry. We can see how attached to her you already are. Why don't you go to the Great Hall now?"
Harry nodded curtly and made his way to the exit. He was stopped by Dumbledore's kind voice, "Welcome to Hogwarts Harry."
"Thank you Professor," was Harry's reply before he left, cradling his pet gently in his arms.
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"Well, that certainly did not go as you had planned, I expect," Snape said, smirking delightfully.
"Yes, I was a little surprised. But, it was not a total shock," Dumbledore admitted with a gamine grin.
"What do you mean old man?" Snape demanded suspiciously.
"Nothing to be concerned about, Severus," Dumbledore soothed. "So, what is Voldemort up too lately?"
Snape winced at the mention of the name, but did not mention it. "He is slowly gathering his forces, Albus. The Ministry is much amiss by blowing off the Dark Lord's return, and too many people are lulled into thinking he has been defeated. He has already begun infiltrating the Ministry and has spies he will not reveal to the rest of us," he grumbled, irritated beyond reason.
"Calm yourself, Severus. I will call a meeting with the Order soon, and I think Harry's return shall be a turning point for the side of Light," Albus said with a gleam in his bright blue eyes.
"So, how do you think he will fare inside your nest of snakes?" Albus asked, changing the subject rapidly, seeing the dark cloud forming between Snape's dark brows. It distracted the man for a moment, as Dumbledore had hoped.
"I must say, I was extremely surprised at the Sorting Hat's decision. I can only imagine the look on Black's face when he finds out," Snape said in words that were almost an exact replica of Harry's, grinning maliciously and rubbing his hands together. "And his parents would be turning in their grave," he added for good measure.
"I'm sure they would accept his decision," Albus replied neutrally.
"Ha! They would be horrified," Snape returned, his eyes glinting with a strange light.
"I expect you to treat him with the same respect the other Slytherin's deserve," Albus admonished lightly.
Snape took on an innocently affronted look. "Of course Headmaster, what would you take me for? Black?"
"Of course not. Well, that shall be all; we both need to attend the Sorting Feast tonight. We shall talk more later."
On their own accord, they stood; Snape allowed the Headmaster to walk before him, keeping to the shadows as they descended to the Great Hall.
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It took Harry a few moments to find his way about the castle but he eventually managed to find the large doors with the line of first years waiting outside. He crept past the tight-lipped teacher standing guard and quietly made his entrance. But what that really meant was that he attracted every person's attention and starting a rolling thunder of whispering gossip.
I have survived through all of this before, he reassured himself. Sirius promised this will be the last time. Harry threw his broad shoulders back proudly, and made eye contact with Draco. He could see the blonde had his mask carefully in place, but when their eyes collided he could see the question swirling inside of them. Harry gave the boy a slow smile and made his way over to the Slytherin table.
The entire Gryffindor table burst into boo's and catcalls which he ignored with good humor. The Slytherin table was dumbfounded but eventually stood up and gave a huge round of applause as Harry Potter – the Harry Potter – sat down next to the Ice Prince. Under normal circumstances, even the name of Harry Potter would be followed by hisses and death threats but this was a new situation – Harry Potter was one of them, and if Draco Malfoy accepted Potter, then every Slytherin would follow suit.
"Congratulations," Pansy said shyly. "We didn't know if you were going to be placed in Slytherin or not."
"Why ever would I not?" Harry laughed. "The Gryffindors are a bunch of prigs," he said with a mischievous smile.
Draco burst into enthusiastic laughter, and for the first time he initiated contact between them by swinging a friendly arm around his shoulders. "You're going to get along great with us."
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The Gryffindor's sixth years were huddled together in a cluster, whispering madly at the decision the hat had made.
"I wonder if the Sorting Hat is losing its touch," Seamus said sadly, shaking his head in confusion.
"Why else would it put Harry Potter into Slytherin?" Ginny asked reasonably, agreeing with Seamus' statement.
"I don't think it made a mistake," Ron interrupted. "I think we may just have another You-Know-Who on our hands," he stated ominously.
The entire group shivered uncontrollably, unconsciously glancing towards the Slytherin table. They all watched as Draco smiled pleasantly, the conversation smooth as the table's occupants welcomed Harry to their midst and patted the white ferret on the table beside him.
"That's preposterous," Hermione said. "You-Know-Who killed Potter's parents, he wouldn't join him," she stressed.
"Maybe You-Know-Who killed his parents to get Potter, but his plans were foiled," Dean jumped in.
"But he tried to kill Harry Potter, he didn't try to adopt him," Hermione scoffed, ignoring the affronted looks.
"Dean's got a point," Ron said. "Maybe he had to try to kill Potter because he realized he couldn't kidnap him. And it just goes to show why he wanted to turn Potter to the dark," he whispered. The others crowded around him, straining to hear the answer. "He knew Potter could kill him if he didn't try to turn him to the dark."
"Which proves that Harry Potter is not a dark wizard," Hermione pointed out. "If You-Know-Who was afraid of him, then we shouldn't be."
"It means he's more powerful than You-Know-Who! Did you see how he repelled those spells that I threw?" Ron hissed. "He didn't even have his wand out and he did it twice."
"Maybe he learned it from somewhere else," Neville argued weakly, speaking for the first time since they had begun the discussion.
"Well, it's all the more reason to be afraid of him! He's in Slytherin and he almost killed the current Dark Lord when he was just a baby," Ginny cried. "Maybe Potter wants to take his place and has learned new dark spells that make him invincible."
They all cringed, again looking over to the Slytherin table. Malfoy was grimacing, refusing to look at the animal Harry had brought with him. The rest of the table had burst into boisterous laughter, enjoying the sight of the Ice Prince unnerved.
"I don't know, he doesn't look that bad to me," Neville said slowly.
"Well, I certainly will not trust the scum," Ron said vindictively.
"You're just mad that he threatened you," Ginny said wisely.
Ron scoffed, and was about to make a venomous reply when Dumbledore suddenly appeared at the Head table. Everyone immediately quieted down to listen to the man speak.
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Dumbledore could see the outrage on the faces of all the houses except Slytherin at the new development with Harry Potter. The Slytherin's all looked as if the cat had suddenly caught the canary and held it whimpering in its grasp.
He raised his hands for the silence he had already been given, his gestures slightly placating. "Welcome to Hogwarts; I hope that this year proves to be as enjoyable as all the others!" he started, and the applause was almost deafening.
"As most of you have seen, we have a new student this year," Albus said, looking briefly over to the Slytherin table and smiling at the faint blush that grew on Harry's cheeks. But Harry held himself proudly, and nodded curtly to the Headmaster. "Harry Potter has been sorted into Slytherin house, so let's give him a warm welcome."
Immediately loud heckling filled the air, but Harry only nodded slightly as if he had already expected such a reaction. Harry stood and gave a brief bow, thanking whatever deity the Headmaster employed that there was no food to be thrown in his direction.
"Hey, don't worry about it Harry," Draco whispered as he sat back down.
"I'm not. I'm very proud of the House I've been sorted into," he said softly back, giving Draco a warm smile.
Draco only nodded, but Harry could see the pleasure that made his gray eyes glow.
"Let us start the Sorting and then we can get down to the Feast," Albus said, and immediately the door opened to admit the first years.
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By the last call of "Zyber, Anna" who was sorted into Ravenclaw, the Sorting was finally finished. Gryffindor had gotten eighteen new students, Ravenclaw fifteen, Hufflepuff ten, and Slytherin ten. Harry noted with shuttered eyes that the boy from the robe shop, Tomas Finis, had been sorted into Slytherin and was sending darting glances between him and Draco. It was with a snort that he realized the girl the two boys had teased had also been placed into the snake den.
Draco had begun to doze with his eyes open when Harry prodded him awake. Draco blinked rapidly to re-moisturize his eyes, and glanced around. Dumbledore was making his usual warning statements about the Forbidden Forest and Filch so he glanced over at his new dorm mate. Harry watched the Headmaster with cool detachment, his fingers tapping a soothing rhythm on the table as he waited patiently for the food to appear.
Harry glanced over to him with a small smile. "I'm starving, how about you?" he whispered.
"Famished," Draco replied.
Harry looked away again, searching the Great Hall with indifference, giving Draco a moment to study his features in silence. He really had an unorthodox attractiveness, with his hair mussed and his glasses sliding down his nose, hiding his grass green eyes. His build was bulky for someone of his age, and Draco wondered idly if he had been forced to do manual labor. He was about the same height as Draco, which made him rather short, but he looked as strong as a bull and just as deadly. But his eyes were calm and cool and it felt as if he could see right through a person, to their very core...it unsettled Draco greatly. Harry's looks are greatly deceiving, Draco decided resolutely.
But it was his power that fascinated Draco the most. Harry's power was most noticeable when it radiated off of him in waves when he was agitated or irritated, as he had been this afternoon. Draco took a deep breath and could smell the same whiff of vanilla he had at the robe shop when they had first met.
With a flourished clap of Dumbledore's hands the food appeared magically in front of the table, and Harry immediately began to dig in, making polite conversation with those housemates around him. Draco winced when he saw Harry feed a slice of chicken to his ferret, talking to her as if he expected her to answer him back or understand. He really should not show such a tenderness of the pet in front of the others, he thought briefly.
Harry looked back over towards Draco, unnerved to find the boy staring. "What, do I have something on my face?" he asked, reaching instinctively upwards to brush away some offending piece of dirt.
Draco shook his head quickly, glancing away with a mumbled negative. He missed the contemplative glance Harry sent him, but he said nothing.
Blaise Zabini was notably absent, Draco suddenly discerned. He knew the boy was insanely jealous of most of his friends, though Draco could never figure out the complex the boy had. He had not shown his Slytherin side at all when he dismissed Harry so casually in front of Draco. As if I would give up the chance of a lifetime for some twisted imagining of house loyalty, Draco thought derisively.
Draco trailed his attention elsewhere and found it attracted to the Head Table. Dumbledore really is worried, Draco thought as he caught the slight glint of unease in the Headmaster's eyes as he watched Harry. Ha, serves the bloody bastard right for how he's treated the Slytherin's over the years, he chuckled silently.
He glanced at his own Head of House and noted that Snape also watched Potter with a gleam of triumph in his onyx eyes and a real sneer placed firmly on his face. He must really dislike Harry for some reason...
"Aren't you hungry Draco?" Pansy simpered from across the table, ruining his train of thought.
"Of course, Pansy dear. But I was so blinded by your beauty I could not help but stare, and I would surely waste away if I continued," Draco said blithely as he began scooping some food onto his plate.
"Aww," Pansy sighed. "You are so sweet sometimes."
He could hear a muffled gagging sound next to him, but did not dare look at Harry for fear of ruining his excuse with laughter. He put on a great face of disappointment and sadness, but began eating with ferocity, trying to force thoughts of Harry from his mind.
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A/N: Well I hope most of everyone is happy with the house Harry was sorted into...well...because I was already wanted to put him there anyway, it just made it even better that a lot of you agreed with me. Thanks for all those that reviewed and gave a poll, it helped me make my choice! It was an almost unanimous vote for Slytherin, and there you go.
Gertrude Abbernathy: Yes, actually I was very tempted to put him into Ravenclaw as well as Slytherin/Gryffindor, as Ravenclaw would make him very neutral with everyone else. And yes, he is very serious about learning all that he can. But, unfortunately, I don't know much about Ravenclaw, and I like the idea of Harry in Slytherin. Thank you for the wonderful review! It seems we were both thinking along the same lines!
Grayoutpost: Yes, Harry will be using a lot of his knowledge throughout the story. I almost did put him in Gryffindor for the tension and various plot lines, but alas, I had to stick him in Slytherin for the fun and excitement. I doubt Draco would ever consider dating outside of Slytherin as portrayed by JKR anyways.
TBC...